Enabling you to share your stories of the towns and people of coastal Kent in the First World War.

Milton Church Gravesend

26 September 1916

Miss M Baker

c/o W Whitely Ltd

Haby Dept

Queens Road

Bayswater London

The transcribed text reads:

25/9/16

Dear May

Hope you are safe, thought about you also Mr B AT Brixton, we were up until nearly 3 a.m. , saw the one that came down near Billericay splendidly , what a noise there was , every blower hooted and whistles went amid cheers and clapping. We heard the bombs dropping quite distinctly here. Give my love to Maude Love Effie.

Additional information

This is an eye witness account of the L32 being shot down by Second Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey of 39 Squadron. All the crew died and were given a military funeral. The image is of St Peter and St Paul Church in Milton, Gravesend.